Adopt from a breeder or a shelter?

A day may come when you decide that you need a companion in your life. There are two venues available to you: a shelter or a breeder. However, there are other issues to consider first. What type of pet fits your lifestyle? If you work long hours then a dog may not be an optimal choice because of their dependency upon you for exercise. Do you have allergies? There are hypoallergenic dogs; however, these tend to be smaller dogs. Cats and rabbits may not be a good choice for you. Is space an issue? If so, then you may want to consider other pets like guinea pigs, gerbils, rats, etc. Do you have children or family members with small children? Some pets and some breeds of dogs are not children friendly due to age (very young or very old pets), temperament, or size. Lastly, do you have the finances to cover a major medical emergency for the chosen pet? Usually, a first veterinarian health check for a dog or cat can range from $60-$160 because of health checks and usual medicines like heartworm preventatives. A medical emergency will be more expensive the larger the pet or the more specialized the pet (ferret, rabbit, lizard, etc). The starting fee for a medical emergency usually can range with an office visit cost of $100 and a retainer of $500. If you can answer these questions, then you can decipher which venue, a shelter or a breeder, will suit you.

A shelter is an excellent choice if you are an experienced pet owner. However, if you are not an experienced pet owner, the first rule you should establish is that you will not bring home a pet until you spend at least three to four visits with the pet. You should also know that some shelters will have alternative pets (gerbils, rats, ferrets, etc). Once you go to the shelter, you should pick out at least five possible candidates. You can then ask for the pet's history. How old is the pet? What breeds are in pet? Does the pet have any known health conditions or behavior issues which can result in higher veterinarian or training costs?

The next venue for you to consider is a breeder. Many types of pets have breeders: cats, gerbils, dogs, etc. You must understand that an animal registry does not validate a good breeder, it registers the pedigree (family tree) of an animal. For example, an American Kennel Club (AKC) breeder just means that the dog's pedigree (family tree) is registered. This does not guarantee that the breeder is a good breeder or that the lines are good either.

Each animal type has a written standard of what the perfect animal should look and act like, which ensures that the money you spend is for a healthy and sound pet. Next, you are looking for breeders who have dogs with credentials. You are also looking for breeders with only one to three breeds in their care and only two litters at any given time.

You should then ask for the breeder's current show record for the last three months with no disqualifications or repeat excusals. Then you will want a copy of the breeder's contract and a current picture of the pet (should you not be able to visit). If the contract does not minimally offer you a health guarantee and a refund for congenital defects, then the breeder has no concern for their animals. The breeder should be able to give you references.

It may seem like an overwhelming amount of information; however, this is a very important decision for both you and the pet. Many of the pets in the shelters are there because someone did not do enough research and/or the pet did not meet the owner's expectations in the areas of care, health, or temperament.

To breed or to not breed--that is the real question

To breed or not to breed dogs is a question all dog owners should ask themselves before acquiring a puppy. If a dog owner is not interested in breeding or showing their dog in conformation, then the owner should purchase a limited registration dog (pet quality), which means that the dog should be purchased on a spay/neuter contract. Usually these contracts require that the dog be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. This ensures that the owner will not breed the dog.

However, if the dog owner wants to consider their options or have a desire to breed a litter of puppies then they should research the breed of dog that they are interested in. Some dogs like the English Bulldog, Neapolitan Mastiff, and pugs may require high assistance or caesarian in order to deliver their puppies. These expenses, plus puppy vaccines, whelping boxes and warmers, and litter registrations, can add on astronomical costs that one may not consider. However, this is the start of separating a "back yard breeder" from a true "dog breeder". The next step after picking the breed is to research the pedigrees of the available puppies or the breeders from which they want to purchase a puppy from. The pedigree will tell you about the lineage of the dog, health concerns, and genetic make up of the dog. The owner should then study the breed standard which is listed on www.akc.org. The breed standard tells an owner what the perfect dog of that breed would look and act like. It includes things like size, weight, gait, and temperament. This ensures that the puppy you are purchasing for full registration as a show and/or breed-able dog is worth the money that you are spending. Lastly, review the breeder's policies, contracts, and guarantees before agreeing to purchase a puppy. Most puppies come with a 12 month health guarantee. The contract protects you and your investment.

If you decide this is the route you want to go, you should be prepared to develop puppy contracts, shot records, puppy packs for the puppies that will be placed with other families. You will make sure that no mating occurs on the first heat and that the second heat is at least after 12 months of age prior to breeding. Most dogs' pregnancies run a gambit of 58 to 63 days so if you decide to breed, you do not have a lot of time to contemplate supplies. There are also tests to be run prior to mating to ensure the health of both dogs. Some of the suggested tests are hips, eyes, and brucellosis. You also must be prepared to assist the whelping if there should be complications and be prepared to make an emergency visit to the vet as well. This is not a cheap venture to just throw two dogs together! Lastly, you must be prepared to conduct interviews with your prospective parents. As a responsible breeder, your first concern is to better the breed not to produce cute puppies and next is to promote interest and love of the breed through responsible placement with the right dog with the right family.

This is a lot to consider but it is a large responsibility to breed a litter. For most, if you are not prepared to take on these responsibilities, then do not breed because this is why we have an overpopulation of dogs with bad temperaments, genetic problems like hip dysplasia, or unwanted puppies. Lastly, do not get caught in the designer dog fad that is currently ongoing. Even though the claim is that breeds are being mixed to overcome the health concerns of one, this is also not true. For instance, the puggle is comprised of a pug and beagle mix. This design came about to correct the pug; however the beagle has 97 health issues of which some of main 20 are the exact same as the pug. This means that over time that the same or more health issues will be exaggerated by continuing to breed these two breeds. A cute dog but will they be without the problems that many have worked at correcting? Consider all of this before you decide to breed or not to breed a dog! It is not for the light hearted unless you want to be classified as a back yard breeder!